Pope Francis’ first days in office

07:45 AM March 14th, 2013

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March 14th, 2013 07:45 AM

Argentina’s Jorge Bergoglio, elected Pope Francis I waves from the window of St Peter’s Basilica’s balcony after being elected the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church on March 13, 2013 at the Vatican. AFP/VINCENZO PINTO

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the world’ s 1. 2 billion Roman Catholics Roman Catholics, has a packed agenda for his first days as pontiff.

Here are the main events:

THURSDAY: Prays to the Virgin Mary. Vatican spokesman Francisco Lombardi said this could be in the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.

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At 1600 GMT presides over a Eucharistic Concelebration with the 115 Cardinal electors in the Sistine Chapel.

FRIDAY: Audience with the cardinals in the ornate 16th century Clementine Hall in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican 1000 GMT

SATURDAY: Meets Vatican journalists and social communication teams at 1000 GMT in the Paul VI Audience Hall where popes usually hold their weekly general audiences.

SUNDAY: Recites his first Angelus prayer from a window of the papal apartments at 1100 GMT, with thousands expected to gather in St. Peter’s Square below.

TUESDAY, March 19: Papal inauguration mass on St Joseph’s Day in St. Peter’s Square 0830 GMT.

WEDNESDAY, March 20: Audience with the Fraternal Delegation.

Francis is expected to meet with his predecessor Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in the coming days, Lombardi said.